Parnavaz I (Farnavaz, Pharnavaz) (ფარნავაზი) (ca. 335-237 BC) was the first king of the ancient Georgian kingdom of Iberia in 302-237 BC and founder of the royal house of Parnavazians .

His life is described in the medieval Georgian sources, such as Leonti Mroveli ’s "Tskhovreba Kartvelta Mepeta" ("The Life of Georgian Kings"), "Moktsevai Kartlisai" (“The Christening of Kartli”), “Tskhovreba Tsminda Ninosi” (“The Life of Saint Nino”), etc.

History of that time is an interesting mixture of fact and legend. The legend has it that Parnavaz was a nephew of Samara, a leader (mamasakhlisi) of the Mtskheta tribe. Azo (Azon), a Macedonian conqueror, killed Samara and his family and seized the power in the area. However, little Parnavaz survived. He later served to Azo, setting a plan of his people’s liberation. Fortune was good to him, and he found a huge amount a treasury while hunting in a forest. He used this to purchase weapons and create an army and rose against the foreign rule. Parnavaz killed Azo (Azon) in a battle and became a king.

Georgian historians believe this story might reflect a struggle for power for the title of tribal leader (mamasakhlisi). The local patrician Parnavaz won this struggle and was crowned as a king. Following the victory, he visited the Seleucid court and was recognized as King of Iberia. Colchis’ ruler Kuji, his ally in a war against Azo (Azon), also recognized Parnavaz’s supremacy. Thus, the most of the present day Georgia formed a single state under Parnavaz.

Upon his ascent to the throne, Parnavaz divided his kingdom into several counties (saeristavo), including Egrisi, Argveti , Odzrkhe , Klarjeti , Tsunda , Samshvilde , Khunani and Kakheti and a special military district (saspaspeto) of Kartli. He also reformed a Georgian alphabet creating the oldest form of the Georgian script "Asomtavruli". This was confirmed by the archaeological excavations of 1940's and 1995-2003 in Armaztsikhe (near Mtskheta) and Nekresi (in Kakheti). Tradition ascribed to him the creation of a new official cult of Armaz to whom a colossus was erected at the capitol of Mtskheta.

He established friendly relations with the neighbouring North Caucasian mountainous people Dzurdzuk thought to be the ancestors of Chechens and Ingushes, and married their princess.

He ruled for 65 years and died at the age of 92 in 237 BC. He was succeeded by his son Saurmag.

References

• Pavle Ingorokva. Old Georgian chronicle "Moktsevai Kartlisai" and the List of the Kings of Iberia. Bulletin of the State Museum of Georgia, vol. XI-B, Tbilisi, 1942, pp. 259-320 (in Georgian)

• Leonti Mroveli. "Tskhovreba Kartvelta Mepeta". Kartlis Tskhovreba (Edited by Simon Kaukhchishvili), Tbilisi, 1942, pp. 14-19 (in Georgian)

See also

• List of Georgian kings

• History of Georgia

• Georgian alphabet